Banners that high school cheerleaders hold for their football teams to run through to take the field have small adhesive strips all along the backside of the breakaway opening, making it easier for players to make their way through.

How pumped up Isaiah George was to rush the field this past Friday night, he didn’t need any assistance busting through the West Monroe Rebels banner.

Two days prior at its monthly meeting down in Baton Rouge, the LHSAA executive committee heard the appeal of George’s eligibility, initially being ruled ineligible for this season after the school self-reported a player tampering violation early on in the preseason. On Wednesday afternoon, the committee overturned that verdict, allowing George to have his senior season back and 48 hours later, his teammates wanted one thing from him, lead them onto the field.

“They were with me through all the stuff I’ve been through with my ruling and me not playing,” George told the News-Star Monday. “As I came back, they made me feel at home and they wanted me to run them out first.

“(Football is) what I love to do so I was ready just to compete, compete with my brothers. It’s been very hard. I hated just to sit there on the sidelines and watch them play. Once I got my appeal and they ruled me eligible again, it brought me up. It felt great to be back on the field Friday.”

After finishing out the 2016 football season with the Rebels, George transferred to Bastrop but returned to West Monroe this school year.

Missing the first three games of the season while waiting for his appeal hearing, the senior had been lining up on the scout team at practice, something he hadn’t done since the first half of his sophomore campaign before becoming a key contributor for the Rebs. Admittedly tough on him, George said he didn’t mind helping his team by giving them opposing defensive looks. Not only was he helping them, his teammates were helping him, too.

“I want to make them better just like I want to be better. I do it to help them out,” he said. “They always told me to keep my head up. (My coaches) told me to always come out here and make everybody else better. I love football so I came out here to help everybody else. Being around my team always kept me up.”

A starter on last year’s squad that made a run to the Class 5A state championship game, West Monroe interim head football coach Tony Osborne said after the ruling last Wednesday the team was getting a lot back with George’s return.

“He's a big part of our defense. He started for us last year, played a big role at cornerback. He's got a lot of leadership ability, good football player,” Osborne said.

George reminded everybody of what he brings to the Rebel secondary Friday against Wossman where their opposing quarterbacks went 0-4 throwing against him and he had two breakups in one half of play.

“I felt like I did good, but I could be better. I felt like I was kind of a little rusty since I haven’t been able to play. I know I’ve been coming out here at practice and working on my craft,” George said.

The practice field at West Monroe was where you would’ve found a senior football player before last Wednesday, facing unknown circumstances but helping his team nonetheless. When the executive committed handed down the overturned verdict last week, George almost broke down in tears of joy.

He got his senior year of high school football. He gets to play the game he loves, but now he has a greater appreciation for it.

“I’m going to play every play like it’s my last. Football is going to end one day. I felt like it was going to end, but now I’m back playing again,” George said. “I’ve got another chance so I’m going to play every play like it’s my last.”

Follow Cory Diaz on Twitter @CoryDiaz_TNS and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CoryDiazTNS/